Boom!


    An explosion erupted from a nearby training room, shaking the ground beneath me. A thick cloud of dust and smoke filled the air, obscuring my vision. The stench of rotting blood and flesh assaulted my senses, sharp and nauseating—yet, just as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone. The dust, the stench, even the lingering heat—it all vanished, as if erased from existence.


    As my vision cleared, I saw the figure emerging from the wreckage.


    Azrael.


    He still wore his signature all-black attire, his messy hair giving him a rough, almost disheveled look. But something was… off. His power felt denser, sharper, despite his rank remaining unchanged.


    Kaltain arrived seconds later, drawn in by the shockwaves that had spread across the entire castle.


    Azrael, seemingly unaware of our presence at first, stood hunched over, breathless. His stamina was drained, his body coated in dense cosmic energy—evidence of a recent battle.


    Finally stabilizing himself, he glanced at us and scoffed.


    “Damn. Even those Mortal Ranks can be a hassle.”


    Kaltain’s lips curled into an amused smile. “You got beaten by a Mortal? I expected more from you.”


    Azrael frowned. “It’s not like I was acting cocky or anything. Its power was just… annoying.”


    I narrowed my eyes. “What kind of powers?”


    Azrael exhaled sharply. “Illusions. I seriously hate those things.”


    Kaltain gave a knowing nod. “Fair enough. Still, you’re late. That’s a pretty bad first impression.”


    Azrael turned his head, feigning mockery. “As if anyone cares. And for the record, I was already here—since 5 AM or something like that.”


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    “Wait—what?!”


    Kaltain and I spoke in unison. We had been explicitly told by Larrisa herself that he was late. Was he lying so blatantly?


    Kaltain cleared his throat. “We were told by Madam Larrisa that you’d arrive at 10 AM. Meaning, you weren’t here. Why are you lying?”


    Azrael shrugged. “I’m not lying. She just didn’t know I was here. You can ask the workers or check the cameras.”


    A voice filled with unfiltered malice was heard just behind us. “Oh? So you were here. What kind of misfit nonsense were you up to this time, Azrael?”


    The temperature plunged.


    A wave of frost spread across the air, freezing the lingering heat in an instant. Glimmers of icy light blinded the terrain, and before I could react, the broken walls and floors mended themselves—thick layers of ice sealing the damage.


    Then came the spikes.


    Jagged icicles erupted from the ground, aiming to skewer Azrael on the spot.


    He didn’t move.


    His fist clenched, cosmic energy surging as a miniature black hole formed in his palm. The devouring void swallowed the ice spikes whole—along with the blinding light that filled the room.


    Azrael scowled. “Hey! I didn’t do shit! Why are you so hell-bent on making me suffer?”


    Larrisa raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed. “Oh? You didn’t do anything? Ignoring the destruction here? Your reckless training nearly got several of my workers killed.”


    Azrael scoffed. “How the hell did that happen? Don’t make false accusations.”


    “I’m not making false accusations. Workers mimicked your training style—pushing themselves far beyond their limits, nourishing themselves in front of the portals longer than advised.” She sighed. “As any sane person would have guessed, it didn’t end well.”


    Azrael shrugged. “So they died because they were weak. Why are you blaming me?”


    “You moron,” Larrisa snapped. “You’re a celebrity now. People follow their idols—even when they shouldn’t. Your recklessness is killing people.”


    Azrael’s expression twisted into a look of sheer disgust. “How did I get famous this fast?”


    Larrisa sighed. “Your battle with the students—it was broadcasted globally. You’ve got quite the number of followers now.”


    Azrael’s face darkened. “So, instead of helping, those teachers were recording while students were dying?”


    “…Fair enough,” Larrisa admitted. “But it’s protocol. Students won’t grow unless they believe their life is at stake.”


    I stiffened.


    Wait. If life-or-death situations are necessary for true growth… then isn’t this entire setup pointless?


    Breaches don’t happen on a fixed schedule. They’re rare. And while training with equipment is useful, real combat experience is far better.


    …Is that what he’s trying to say?


    I turned to Azrael.


    He was smiling.


    Subtle. Barely there. But definitely smiling.


    And then, he spoke.


    “If that’s your argument…” His tone was casual, but there was an edge to it. “Then let me travel. I’ll go around the world, gain real life-or-death experience, and actually get stronger. Since breaches are rare, I don’t want to waste my time playing with toys.” His eyes glinted. “And if I’m not here? No one will see me. Meaning no one will follow my reckless training regime.” He tilted his head. “What do you think… Miss?”


    Kaltain didn’t miss a beat. “Azrael, if you don’t mind—I’d like to join you.”


    Azrael smirked. “If you wish. Of course you can.”


    I felt my pulse quicken.


    This was an opportunity. A real opportunity.


    “I’m coming too.” My voice was firm. No hesitation.


    Azrael glanced at me, then at Kaltain. He shrugged. “The more, the merrier.”


    While the three of us discussed our upcoming journey, Larrisa remained silent, lost in thought.


    Finally, she sighed. “I’ll have a meeting with my colleagues. Then I’ll inform you.” She shot us a warning look. “Until then, train here.”


    With that, she turned and left.


    But we all knew the truth.


    There was no real argument to stop us from leaving. At most, they’d send a strong Astra to accompany us.


    This trip was happening.


    And I had a feeling it was going to change everything.